How to Stay Safe and Clean During COVID-19

Your Phone and Germs

We all do it. We bring our phones everywhere. Hate to admit it, but even to the bathroom. It is safe to say that our phones carry a tremendous amount of germs; even more germs than the toilet seat itself.

TIME reports, “Scientists at the University of Arizona have found that cell phones carry10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.”

With COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic, quarantine procedures are quickly being implemented. For some, there is barely enough notice to stock up on groceries and toiletries beforehand. For others, the fear has jumpstarted a surge in online purchases of bulk cleaning supplies and loads of hand sanitizer.

With such a frenzy, consumers may forget that all such activity (digital shopping and digital entertainment) is taking place on a top contributor of germs: their cell phone.

Below are some key insights into combating COVID-19 during the digital and mobile age.

How to Stay Healthy During the Outbreak

1. Clean your phone and e-readers.

In lieu of the outbreak, Apple has changed its stance on proper cleaning techniques for Apple products, including the iPhone. Apple previously has stated that consumers should not disinfect their Apple products using harsh chemical wipes. However, Apple updated its support pageon Monday noting that Clorox Disinfecting Wipes can be used for disinfecting.

Considering almost everything takes place on a phone, whether that be reading, shopping, or gaming, the safest bet is to wipe down all mobile and tech devices as soon as possible.

2. Wash your hands.

This seems like a no brainer. However, according to HuffPost, only 66 percent of Americans actually wash their hands. Most consumers use their hands continuously throughout the day: greeting someone, typing at work, handling a phone.

Following tip one, if you disinfected your phone but your hands are not washed, germs are right back where they started. The silver lining, the Coronavirus has peaked searches in Google about washing your hands.

Be smart. There is no reason to not wash your hands.

3. Avoid close contact with those who are sick.

Close contact and crowds go hand-in-hand. Both situations are a high-risk situation for getting infected. Chicago has taken this precaution seriously as it was announced Wednesday morning that the Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations this weekend, including the parade and river dyeing, are canceled.

Keeping a distance from others does not mean total social isolation, though. Texting and FaceTiming may be the alternative for a while.

4. Stay home from work or school if you are feeling ill.

If symptoms do arise, the best advice is to simply stay home. Companies across the U.S. have taken this into great consideration as remote-work plans become the next best option.

“Bloomberg News reported that JPMorgan Chase had asked 10% of its approximately 127,000 employees to work from home, thereby allowing the company to test its plan for office closures.”

Remote-work plans can include meetings via conference calls or Slack messages, secured access while at home, and flexibility overall. The key takeaway is most companies want their employees to feel comfortable and safe during the outbreak.

Key Updates on COVID-19

eMagazines is wishing everyone the best in staying healthy. Business will continue to operate as usual.

Abrams, A. (2017, April 23). Your Cell Phone Is 10 Times Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat. Here’s What to Do About It. TIME. Retrieved from https://time.com/4908654/cell-phone-bacteria/

Bukszpan, D. (2020, March 10). Working remotely due to the coronavirus? This technology from your employer is key. Retrieved March 12, 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/working-remotely-due-to-the-coronavirus-this-technology-is-key.html

Goldberg, E. (2015, October 15). Here’s How Many People Actually Wash Their Hands After Using The Bathroom. HuffPost. Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/5-surprising-facts-about-handwashing_n_561fca57e4b050c6c4a491bb

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT

Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.